Government-led negotiations on the world's first agreement to protect people from future pandemics made significant progress during the latest round of discussions that ended today at the World Health Organization (WHO). Substantive progress on the draft agreement, increased involvement of civil society and non-State actors, and a commitment by all parties to sustain momentum towards…

As society learns to live with COVID-19, research on the disease and its complications remains important. Thus, an Osaka Metropolitan University team has pored through data to understand the incidence in Japan of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA), a severe invasive fungal infection of the lungs. Few studies have been conducted on CAPA in Japan, but…

The importance of testing for diseases was thrust into the limelight during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us have undergone a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) or ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) test within the past four years. Yet these forms of testing are far from perfect. They require large sample volumes, involve complex procedures, and even…

A new international collaborative study provides a list of the wildlife species present at the market from which SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, most likely arose in late 2019. The study is based on a new analysis of metatranscriptomic data released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The…

As AMR death tolls rise in older populations, especially in regions like South Asia, prevention, new antibiotics, and better healthcare practices are more crucial than ever to curb this looming global crisis. Study:  Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance 1990–2021: a systematic analysis with forecasts to 2050. Image Credit:…

CHARTwatch, a machine learning model, shows promise in reducing patient mortality and improving outcomes in hospital settings, according to new CMAJ study. Study:  Clinical evaluation of a machine learning–based early warning system for patient deterioration . Image Credit: LALAKA/Shutterstock.com In a recent study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ),…

Ballad Health, an Appalachian company with the nation's largest state-sanctioned hospital monopoly, may soon be required to improve its quality of care or face the possibility of being broken up. Government documents obtained by KFF Health News reveal that Tennessee officials, in closed-door negotiations, are attempting to hold the monopoly more accountable after years of…

Even after two years, individuals with long COVID display resilient immune responses, offering hope for long-term protection against reinfection. Study: SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells from people with long COVID establish and maintain effector phenotype and key TCR signatures over 2 years. Image Credit: p.ill.i / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the…

New research uncovers how people’s biases and mental shortcuts fuel vaccine refusal, urging a rethink of public health messaging strategies. Study: COVID-19 vaccine refusal is driven by deliberate ignorance and cognitive distortions. Image Credit: Nao Novoa / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the journal NPJ Vaccines, researchers used data from…

Monoclonal antibodies – treatments developed by cloning a cell that makes an antibody – could help provide an answer to the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance, say scientists. A team lead by researchers at the University of Cambridge has developed a monoclonal antibody drug, using a technique involving genetically engineered mice, that may help prevent…